Back in the saddle! The end of the fiscal year for my company is February 1st, so naturally there has been quite a bit of ado in the office and sadly I can't spend as much time paying close attention to the tea I'm drinking... what a shame.
Today I'm reviewing another Winter 2013 gaoshan tea from
Origin Tea. Normally I wouldn't think of high mountain oolong as being a winter tea, but winter here in California has been one of the mildest I can remember.
This tea comes from the Alishan mountain range. It is situated at a lower elevation than the Li shan mountain range, however it is still well above the 1000m cutoff for high mountain oolong. Additionally, Alishan teas are typically much more affordable than other high mountain teas.
This particular example has a more pronounced oxidation than then previous teas I have written about. This style of processing, according to one of my tea friends, is more traditional for Taiwan. With slightly more oxidized tea such as this, one can expect more pronounced fruit notes and perhaps even enhanced sweetness.
The wet leaves have a very deep, candy-like sweetness to them as well as a toasty scent which I again associate with baked goods. The first infusion is light in flavor and body, however it already hints at its fruity, sweet nature. The second few infusions have a much more pronounced sweetness and tropical-fruit taste which lingers in the throat and back part of the mouth long after swallowing. The tea is equal parts classic high mountain floral and slightly buttery, tropical-fruit that blend very nicely in the mouth.
This tea begins to loose its character around the fourth or fifth infusion, however it remains fairly consistent up until that point. The level of complexity and aftertaste far outshine this tea's price. I like it better than some Li shan tea that I have had. If I had to pick one word to describe this particular tea, I would choose 'balanced'.
